Not because the money had disappeared.

It hadn’t.

Not because I’d become selfless.

I hadn’t.

But because neither of us needed to pretend we wanted something different.

PART 8 — THE GALA AND THE FINAL QUESTION

Six months after our wedding, the estate hosted a fundraising gala for the hospital.

The mansion looked magnificent.

Lights illuminated the gardens.

White flowers lined the entrance.

A small orchestra played near the terrace.

Guests moved through the reception rooms carrying glasses and speaking quietly.